Is moderate drinking linked to dementia? Researchers at the BMJ - formerly the British Medical Journal -say yes.

Find out more about it below and take a look at the latest Wines and Winemakers reviews by Roger Voss for Wine Enthusiast!

SPOTLIGHT

WINE ENTHUSIAST NOVEMBER 2018

90 Points - Andreza Reserva White DOC Douro 2017

“Lightly wood aged and certainly spicy, this rounded, ripe wine is still young, but is already packed with fruit. Baked apples and touches of cinnamon are balanced by crisp acidity. It needs a little aging. Drink from 2019.”

90 Points - Tyto alba Moscatel Galego DOC Do Tejo 2017

“Pure Moscatel gives an intensely perfumed wine. Those fragrances are balanced by the refreshing acidity and lively citrus fruits. The wine is richly concentrated and ready to drink.”

89 Points - Tyto alba Castelão DOC Do Tejo 2016

“Produced in clay amphoras, this wine has a light color and generous tannins that come from the bright red fruits. It is ripe, with hints of beets as well as red-currant and berry flavors. The wine is likely to be ready to drink from 2019.”

87 Points - Azul Portugal Regional Alentejano 2017

“This ripe wine is full of warm sunshine and rich fruits. Berry flavors are cut with acidity but are more about generous fruitiness and ripeness. The wine is lightly textured and ready to drink.” BEST BUY

87 Points - Azul Portugal DOC Bairrada 2015

“While the Baga in this blend gives the wine a dry edge, the Touriga Nacional and Tinto Roriz add richness. Black fruits predominate, with balanced acidity and a ripe, elegant texture. Drink now.” BEST BUY

87 Points - Maria Bonita Loureiro Vinho Verde DOC 2017

“A soft, open wine from the central part of Vinho Verde, this conveys citrus, but with a gentle texture. Perfumed and crisp at the end, the wine is ready to drink.” BEST BUY

87 Points - Tyto alba Sauvignon Blanc DOC Do Tejo 2017

“This wine, with its crisp, herbal character, has intense acidity and a grassy texture. It is cool, full of citrus acidity and zest. Tyto Alba is the name for the barn owls that live at this estate and are part of the natural park's eco-system. Drink the wine now.”

87 Points - Tyto alba White DOC Do Tejo 2017

“A blend of Fernão Pires and Arinto, this was fermented in oak, adding richness to the citrus and green-plum flavors. It finishes warm and rounded, and is ready to drink.”

Cheers!

OTHER NEWS

MIDDLE-AGED, MODERATE DRINKERS MAY BE LESS LIKELY TO DEVELOP DEMENTIA

A study published in BJMJournal in August found evidence that those drinking up to four and a half bottles of wine a week — three times the guidelines - were at lower risk of developing the disease than those who abstained. In Britain 14 units of alcohol a week is the recommended maximum for men and women, equivalent to six pints of beer or glasses of wine spread evenly across the week.

The findings are based on data from the Whitehall II study, an ongoing project tracking the health of British civil servants that were between the ages of 35 and 55 in 1985 (when the project began).

For the new study, a team of French and British researchers gathered 23 years' worth of follow-up data on 9,087 Whitehall II participants, including hospital records and self-reported levels of alcohol consumption.

397 cases of dementia were recorded and the researchers found that the group that abstained from alcohol and the group that drank in excess of 14 units per week were both shown to be at a higher risk of developing dementia than participants who drank between 1 and 14 units.

The researchers said the study encourages the use of a lower threshold of alcohol consumption in such guidelines, applicable over the adult life course, in order to promote cognitive health.